The conclusion to Potter's 16th century-set Scottish Highland Trilogy (following Beloved Stranger
) gives proof to what her fans may already know: Potter keeps getting better with every outing. Sparkling with high seas drama and tender romance, the story of the eldest Maclean brother, Patrick, opens six years into his imprisonment aboard a Spanish slave ship. Following Patrick's plan, he and his fellow oarsmen successfully mutiny, putting him on the route home to Scotland, where he can find out what's become of his family and claim his inheritance. His plan is complicated, however, when he discovers two women among the passengers: the ship owner's daughter, Juliana Mendoza, and her maid, Carmita. Honor-bound to protect them despite his searing hatred for Juliana's father, Patrick keeps the two from the rapacious designs of the other mutineers. Initially distrustful, they're both awakened, soon enough, to the kindness and bravery in each other. Upon reaching Scotland, both have given themselves over to mutual passion, despite Juliana's impending nuptials to a powerful English viscount, a union she can only abandon by imperiling her mother. Potter has an expert ability to invest in fully realized characters and a strong sense of place without losing momentum in the details, making this novel a pure pleasure. (Apr.)
